Generalized presbyopic correction methodology

ABSTRACT

An adaptive optics phoropter is aligned with a Badal optometer and an adjustable aperture component to subjectively determine an optimal vision correction as a power profile for an ophthalmic lens or ablating a cornea. The optimal power profile is preferably determined in an iterative process by adjusting the vergence of the Badal optometer and aperture size of the adjustable aperture component for power profiles with presbyopic power zones having different amplitudes, shapes, widths, and/or de-centering. Also included is a method of recursively computing a refractive surface with a regular presbyopic power zone (e.g., according to the optimal power profile) and adding it onto an underlying irregular Zernike-basis-set aberration-corrected surface in a linear fashion for fabricating an ophthalmic lens.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/004,243, filed Dec. 20, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,982 whichclaims the benefits under 35 USC 119(e) of the U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/882,950 filed Dec. 31, 2006, each of which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of ophthalmiclenses and, more particularly, to using adaptive optics to subjectivelyadapt a subject's vision almost simultaneously to produce optimallycorrected vision with an optimal power profile, and recursivelydetermining a correction surface based on the optimal power profile forfabricating a lens.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Contact lenses are widely used for correcting many different types ofvision deficiencies. These include defects such as near-sightedness andfar-sightedness (myopia and hypermetropia, respectively), astigmatismvision errors, and defects in near range vision usually associated withaging (presbyopia). Current opinion holds that presbyopia occurs as aperson ages when the lens of eye begins to crystallize and lose itselasticity, eventually resulting in the eye losing the ability to focuson nearby objects.

Some presbyopic persons have both near-vision and far-vision defects,requiring bifocal lenses to properly correct their vision. Many peopleprefer wearing contact lenses to correct their vision rather thanbifocal eyeglasses. However, creating a bifocal or simultaneous visionlens for presbyopes entails finding “compromise” vision, i.e., visionthat is acceptable in both near and far vision, but perfect in neither.

Testing refractive errors of the eye involves several tests, some ofwhich are subjective, and others that are objective in nature. Objectiverefraction tests include the use of retinoscopy, phoropter systems,wavefront sensors, and autorefractors. A phoropter can be manipulated bya control unit so that an operator's movement can be minimized duringthe testing procedure (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,156, which is expresslyincorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein).

Refractive errors in the eye may also be detected by using wavefrontsensors, such as for example a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor.Measurements of the wavefront aberrations of the eye, to a high degreeof precision, using an improved Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,719, which is expressly incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein. The wavefront sensor illuminatesthe retina with a narrow cone of light from an LED or laser. Therefractive errors of the eyes are measured and computed as a power mapor wavefront representation such as a basis set of the Zernikepolynomials. Starting at the retina, an ideal wavefront is generatedwhich passes through the optical path of the eye. As the wavefront exitsthe eye, it contains a complete map of the eye's aberrations foranalysis by the sensor. Once the wavefront is received by the sensor, acomplex series of analyses are performed to provide a “complete” pictureof the eye's optical path.

Objective refraction tests often to not correlate with subjectivesphero-cylindrical correction or presbyopic correction. Because visionis subjective, differences in an eye's aberration, the individual'sneural processing, and the individual's visual requirements may limitthe effectiveness of objective tests. Subjective eye tests are moreinteractive than objective tests and may provide better compensation foran eye's aberration, the individual's neural processing, and theindividual's visual requirements. Subjective tests can be performed byusing adaptive optic phoropters, for example. These are new devices thatrecently became commercially available.

In addition, even if the technology were currently available toaccurately determine an ideal vision correction on a customized basis,the technology is not currently available to fabricate, in a practicalway, an ophthalmic lens having a refractive surface with the correctionthat is stable and registered to an eye's line of sight.

Thus it can be seen that needs exist for improvements to ophthalmicmethods and systems to optimally correct for aberrations in the eye andto fabricate complex lenses with the needed corrections to provideoptimal vision. It is to such improvements that the present invention isprimarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally described, in one aspect the present invention provides asystem and method for determining an optimal power profile for an eye.The system and method are used to subjectively assess a person's visionin order to determine an optimal vision correction expressed as theoptimal power profile. An ophthalmic lens can then be fabricated withthe optimal power profile to provide improved visual acuity.

In one example embodiment, the system includes an adjustable vergencecomponent, an adaptive optics phoropter, and a control system. Theadjustable vergence component includes a displayable focusing target,and is preferably provided by a Badal optometer with vergence settingsto simulate distance, intermediate, and near vision. The adaptive opticsphoropter includes an ophthalmic wavefront sensor and an adaptive opticswavefront corrector. The adaptive optics phoropter measures aberrationsin the eye, and the adaptive optics wavefront corrector generates aplurality of objective power profiles that blur the focusing targetequivalently to an ophthalmic lens with corrections for the aberrationsand with a presbyopic power zone. The adaptive optics wavefrontcorrector preferably includes at least one MEMS deformable mirror deviceor equivalent technology for wavefront manipulation. The power profilesgenerated by the adaptive optics wavefront corrector each have adifferent amplitude, shape, width, and/or de-centered shift for thepresbyopic power zone. The control system includes a processor andprogramming that are operable to adjust the vergence of the focusingtarget between a plurality of vergence settings and to adjust theadaptive optics wavefront corrector for each of the power profiles. Inthis way, the subjective visual performance of the person's eyes can beassessed for each of the power profiles at each of the vergence settingsin an iterative fashion until the optimal one of the power profiles isdetermined.

In addition, the system preferably includes an adjustable aperturecomponent with an aperture. The control system is operable to adjust thesize of the aperture between a plurality of aperture size settings. Inthis way, the subjective visual performance of the eye can be assessedfor each of the power profiles at each of the aperture size settings inthe iterative fashion until the optimal one of the power profiles isdetermined. For example, the aperture size settings may be selected tosimulate daylight (photopic), intermediate (mesopic), and nighttimevision (scotopic).

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a methodfor determining an optimal power profile for an eye, and an ophthalmiclens including the optimal power profile determined by the method. Themethod includes the steps of (a) measuring aberrations of the eye; (b)generating a first power profile that blurs a focusing targetequivalently to an ophthalmic lens with corrections for the aberrationsand with a presbyopic power zone; and (c) accessing subjective visualperformance of the eye for the power profile. The method furtherincludes the steps of (d) generating a subsequent power profile thatblurs the focusing target equivalently to the ophthalmic lens withcorrections for the aberrations and with a presbyopic power zone; and(e) repeating steps (c) and (d) in an iterative fashion until theoptimal one of the power profiles is determined.

Preferably, step (a) includes measuring aberrations by using anophthalmic wavefront sensor. Also, steps (b) and (d) preferably includegenerating power profiles by using an adaptive optics wavefrontcorrector. In steps (b) and (d), the power profiles are each generatedhaving a different amplitude, shape, width, and/or de-centered shift forthe presbyopic power zone.

In step (c), accessing the person's subjective visual performancepreferably includes accessing the person's subjective visual performancewhen the focusing target is viewed at a first vergence setting,adjusting the vergence to a second setting, and accessing the subjectivevisual performance at the second vergence setting. More preferably, step(c) further includes adjusting the vergence to a third setting andaccessing subjective visual performance at the third vergence setting,with the three vergence settings selected to simulate distance,intermediate, and near vision. In addition, step (c) preferably includesaccessing the person's subjective visual performance when the focusingtarget is viewed through an aperture at a first aperture size setting,adjusting the aperture size to a second setting, and accessingsubjective visual performance at the second aperture size setting. Morepreferably, step (c) further includes adjusting the aperture size to athird setting and accessing subjective visual performance at the thirdaperture size setting, with the aperture size settings selected tosimulate daylight, intermediate, and nighttime vision.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided amethod of defining a complex refractive surface, an ophthalmic lensfabricated with the complex refractive surface, and a software productfor describing a complex refractive surface that can be used tofabricate the lens. Preferably, the lens is fabricated of lathablesilicon hydrogel by using a single-point diamond cutting system.

The method includes the steps of (a) determining a non-axi-symmetricalbase refractive surface with correction for aberrations; (b) defining aplurality of radial and azimuthal meridians on the base surface; (c)along each meridian, superimposing an axi-symmetrical presbyopic powerzone (e.g., according to the optimal power profile) onto thenon-axi-symmetrical base refractive surface to generate a resultantsurface; and (d) fabricating the ophthalmic lens with the resultantsurface.

Preferably, step (a) includes determining the non-axi-symmetrical baserefractive surface by using an ophthalmic wavefront sensor. Also, step(c) preferably includes applying a recursive function so that the powerzone is built up along each meridian in a linear fashion. For example,the step (c) may further include using a NURBS model for surfaceconstruction by boundary curves for recursively adding the power zoneonto each meridian on the base surface.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention willbe understood with reference to the drawing figures and detaileddescription herein, and will be realized by means of the variouselements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following brief description of the drawings anddetailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory ofpreferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of theinvention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the major components ofa system for determining an optimal power profile according to anexample embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a method of determining an optimalpower profile according to an example embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing a closed-loop iterative method ofaccessing subjective visual performance according to the method of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is a graph of recorded measures of subjective visual acuity for atest subject using two power profiles according to an example system andmethod of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph of recorded measures of subjective visual acuity forthe same test subject using four other power profiles according to anexample system and method of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is an ophthalmic lens having a regular presbyopic power zoneadded onto an irregular basis surface according to an example embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the lens of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the lens of FIG. 6A, showing theregular presbyopic power zone and the irregular basis surface onto whichit is added.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing a method of adding a regular presbyopicpower zone onto an irregular basis refractive surface according to anexample embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure.It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to thespecific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/orshown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments by way of example only and is notintended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Also, as used in thespecification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particularnumerical value includes at least that particular value, unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein asfrom “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about”or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range isexpressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular valueand/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values areexpressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it willbe understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention pertains. Generally, the nomenclatureused herein and the manufacturing procedures are well known and commonlyemployed in the art. Conventional methods are used for these procedures,such as those provided in the art and various general references.

FIG. 1 shows a system 10 for determining an optimal power profile for aneye 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Thesystem 10 is operable to subjectively assess a subject's vision in orderto determine an optimal vision correction expressed as the optimal powerprofile. Thus, using the system 10, an operator can determine theoptimal aberration profiles that produce through-focus vision withsteady visual acuity. The system 10 can be used to determine the optimal“progressive” profiles and peripheral aberration structure forsimultaneous vision presbyopic lenses. In addition, system 10 can beused to determine single vision corrections, because of the inclusion ofthe recently developed adaptive optic phoropter with high resolution andhigh-stroke MEMs devices, as described below.

The system 10 includes a housing 14 for an adjustable vergence component16, an adaptive optics phoropter 18, an adjustable aperture component20, and a control system 22. The housing 14 is preferably made of adurable material and construction to protect the other components, andmay be of the same type as the housings of other conventional optometricdevices in common use today.

The adjustable vergence component 16 includes a display for a focusingtarget (such as an image or an eye chart) for adjusting the vergence,whether physically repositioning the displayed target to differentsettings along the optic path or adjusting the size of the target sothat it is perceived as having been repositioned to different settings.Preferably, the adjustable vergence component 16 is provided by a Badaloptometer of the type well known in the art. Alternatively, anotherlinear system that allows the vergence to be manipulated and the correctmagnification maintained can be used.

The Badal optometer 16 preferably is modified for use in the presentsystem 10 in that it's control software is combined with and/orinteroperable with that of the control system 22. The optometer 16 isoperable, in conjunction with the control system 22, to adjust thevergence for providing near and far field measurements. Preferably, theoptometer 16 has settings for approximating at least three distances:distance vision, intermediate vision (for viewing a computer screen),and near vision (for reading). These types of vision may be approximatedby resolving a user's vision at 0.0 diopters (D), 1.0 D, and 2.5 D,respectively. The term “resolve” means that the subject's currentspherical correction is used to approximate the types of vision.

The adjustable aperture component 20 may be provided as a modularcomponent and/or built into the housing 12. In either case, theadjustable aperture 20 is conjugate to the subject's pupil, positionedin the optical path 26 between the eye 12 and the Badal optometer 16,with the optometer being between the aperture and the adaptive opticsphoropter 18. The adjustable aperture component 20 may be of a type usedin conventional cameras (e.g., telephoto or wide-angle lenses), with anaperture 24 defined by a metal leaf diaphragm or an electro-opticalmeans. The aperture 24 limits the amount of light and affects the depthof field. When the aperture 24 is adjusted smaller, the amount of lightthrough it is decreased, the resolution is decreased, and the depth offield is increased, and when the aperture 24 is adjusted larger, theamount of light is increased, the resolution is increased, and the depthof field is decreased.

The size of the aperture 24 is adjusted by the control system 22 tovarious sizes for assessing vision in different light conditions.Preferably, the aperture 24 is adjustable to diameter settings of about2.5 mm (for simulating bright daylight conditions), about 4.0 mm (forsimulating medium-light conditions such as dawn, dusk, and poorly litindoor areas), and about 6.0 mm (for simulating nighttime low-lightconditions). In this way, the control system 22 adjusts the size of theaperture 24 to simulate different light conditions to optimally assessvision, instead of the operator having to constantly turn the lights inthe room down and/or off and waiting for the subject's pupils to adjustbefore continuing with the vision assessment.

The adaptive optics phoropter 18 is selected for use in subjectivelymeasuring the refractive error in the eye 12. Adaptive optics technologycompensates for optical aberrations by controlling the phase of thelight waves, or wavefronts incident on the retina—much like wavesbreaking on a shoreline. The optical structures in the eye, particularlythe cornea and lens, can distort these wavefronts and thus produce theaberrations.

The adaptive optics phoropter 18 includes a wavefront sensor and anadaptive optics wavefront corrector. The wavefront sensor measuresaberrations in the eye 12 and the wavefront corrector hardwarecompensates for the distortion. The adaptive optics phoropter 18 may beof a conventional type known in the art. For example, the adaptiveoptics phoropter 18 may be of the type developed by Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratory (California).

The wavefront sensor may be of a conventional type known in the art. Onesuitable wavefront sensor that can be incorporated into the adaptiveoptics phoropter 18 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,719 to Williams,which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, and another iscommercially available under the brand name ZYWAVE by Bausch & LombIncorporated (Rochester, N.Y.). The wavefront sensor generates infraredlight that is directed at the subject's eye 12. This infrared lightpreferably has a wavelength of about 850 nm. The wavefront sensor thensenses the aberrations of the eye.

The adaptive optics wavefront corrector is operable to create highspatial frequency refractive errors, and its control software preferablyincludes phase-wrap capability, so that it can create any or most anytype of refractive error—including high spatial frequency refractiveerrors not found naturally in the human visual system. The adaptiveoptics wavefront corrector hardware may be of a conventional type knownin the art, and may include deformable mirrors and/or MEMS devices.Deformable mirror MEMS devices have mirrors and actuators that push onor otherwise manipulate the mirrors to change their curvature. One knownsuitable deformable membrane mirror device is commercially availableunder the brand MIRAO from Imagine Eyes (Orsay, France). This is ahigh-stroke device, so the mirror can be deformable to a high degree ofcurvature, making it suitable for use in determining single visioncorrections for high-magnitude aberrations farther out from the centerof the pupil. Alternatively, the adaptive optics corrector hardware maybe a commercially available a spatial light modulator or low-strokedeformable mirror device. Such low-stroke deformable mirrors areprimarily suitable for determining low-magnitude aberrations for optimalpresbyopic profiles near the center of the pupil.

The adaptive optics phoropter 18 preferably is modified for use in thepresent system 10 in that it's control software is combined with and/orinteroperable with that of the control system 22. A person of ordinaryskill in the art will understand how to make the needed modifications.The adaptive optics phoropter 18 is operable by the control system 22 toallow the wavefront sensor to iterate until the adaptive optics hardwarechanges such that it projects a substantially aberration-free image backto the user.

The control system 22 includes a computer processor and a storage devicewith software for controlling the operation of the system 10. Thecontrol system 22 is operable to adjust the diameter of the aperture 24to the settings for bright, medium, and low light conditions. Inaddition, the control system 22 is operable to control the display ofthe focusing target and to adjust the Badal optometer 16 to provide thevergence for near, intermediate, and distance vision. Furthermore, thecontrol system 22 is operable in a closed loop to cause the wavefrontsensor to iterate until the adaptive optics hardware changes such thatit projects a substantially aberration-free focusing target back to theuser's eye 12. The control system 22 modifies the alignment of the powerprofiles relative the eye's line-of-sight to adjust the decentering ofthe presbyopic power zone. Also, the control system 22 preferablyincludes phase-wrap software to extend the dynamic range when using theadaptive optics phoropter 18, if the adaptive optics wavefront correctoris a spatial light modulator. It will be understood that the some ofthese features, for example the adjustment of the aperture and thevergence, can be omitted from the control system 22 and performedmanually. Preferably, the spherical refractive error term (Zernike index20), is adjusted out with the optometer 16 and the all other Zerniketerms are manipulated with the adaptive optics wavefront corrector.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a method 200 of determining anoptimal power profile for an eye according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention. The method 200 can be carried out by use of thesystem 10 or by other similar systems including the components similarto those of the system 10. In addition, it will be understood that thecontrol system 22 is configured and programmed to operate the othercomponents of the system 10 to carry out the method 200.

The method 200 includes at step 202 measuring the natural aberrations ofa subject's eye. For example, when using the system 10 described herein,this is done by the wavefront sensor of the adaptive optics phoropter 18in conjunction with the control system 22. Next, at step 204, thewavefront corrector hardware of the adaptive optics phoropter 18, inconjunction with the control system 22, generates at least one andpreferably a series of objective power profiles that blur the focusingtarget in an equivalent way that an ophthalmic lens would withcorrections for the aberrations and with and an added power zoneaccording to the power profiles. Each of the power profiles has adifferent amplitude, shape, width, and/or de-centered shift for thepower zone. By knowing the subject's age or ADD requirement, the initialamplitude, diameter, and shape of the ADD power profile will be computedas a starting point. Based upon the subjective response the ADD powerprofile will be adjusted.

More specifically, the wavefront sensor identifies the positions andmagnitudes of the aberrations, and the control system 22 determines apower profile with an appropriate adjustment to provide anaberration-corrected focusing target. I.e., the wavefront sensordetermines how much the wavefront is distorted as it passes through theeye's cornea and lens. Then the computer of the control system 22 usesthis information to create an internal, three-dimensional (3D)representation of the distorted wave. That 3D shape is then used todefine the power profile and to instruct the adaptive optics hardware.In embodiments in which MEMs deformable mirror devices are used, theMEMS actuators are instructed to move to positions that will minimizethe distortion and “flatten” the wavefront in the same way that acorrective ophthalmic lens would.

Aberrations of the eye are typically decomposed into sphero-cylindricalrefractive errors. More recent technology, such as ophthalmic wavefrontsensors of the type used in the adaptive optic phoropter, provides moreresolution to determine a more exact refractive error pattern. Anophthalmic lens can be designed using a Zernike basis set to cancel theeye's aberrations, and, in turn, to optimize vision. Table 1 lists theZernike functions up to the seventh order:

TABLE 1 Listing of Zernike Polynomials in Polar Coordinates up to 7^(th)order (36 terms) j = n = m = index order frequency Z_(n) ^(m) (ρ, θ) 0 00 1 1 1 −1 2 ρ sin θ 2 1 1 2 ρ cos θ 3 2 −2 ^({square root over (6)})ρ²sin 2θ 4 2 0 ^({square root over (3)})(2ρ² − 1) 5 2 2^({square root over (6)})ρ² cos 2θ 6 3 −3 ^({square root over (8)})ρ³sin 3θ 7 3 −1 ^({square root over (8)})(3ρ³ − 2ρ) sin θ 8 3 1^({square root over (8)})(3ρ³ − 2ρ) cos θ 9 3 3^({square root over (8)})ρ³ cos 3θ 10 4 −4 ^({square root over (10)})ρ⁴sin 4θ 11 4 −2 ^({square root over (10)})(4ρ⁴ − 3ρ²) sin 2θ 12 4 0^({square root over (5)})(6ρ⁴ − 6ρ² + 1) 13 4 2^({square root over (10)})(4ρ⁴ − 3ρ²) cos 2θ 14 4 4^({square root over (10)})ρ⁴ cos 4θ 15 5 −5 ^({square root over (12)})ρ⁵sin 5θ 16 5 −3 ^({square root over (12)})(5ρ⁵ − 4ρ³) sin 3θ 17 5 −1^({square root over (12)})(10ρ⁵ − 12ρ³ + 3ρ) sin θ 18 5 1^({square root over (12)})(10ρ⁵ − 12ρ³ + 3ρ) cos θ 19 5 3^({square root over (12)})(5ρ⁵ − 4ρ³) cos 3θ 20 5 5^({square root over (12)})ρ⁵ cos 5θ 21 6 −6 ^({square root over (14)})ρ⁶sin 6θ 22 6 −4 ^({square root over (14)})(6ρ⁶ − 5ρ⁴) sin 4θ 23 6 −2^({square root over (14)})(15ρ⁶ − 20ρ⁴ + 6ρ²) sin 2θ 24 6 0^({square root over (7)})(20ρ⁶ − 30ρ⁴ + 12ρ² − 1) 25 6 2^({square root over (14)})(15ρ⁶ − 20ρ⁴ + 6ρ²) cos 2θ 26 6 4^({square root over (14)})(6ρ⁶ − 5ρ⁴) cos 4θ 27 6 6^({square root over (14)})ρ⁶ cos 6θ 28 7 −7 4 ρ⁷ sin 7θ 29 7 −5 4 (7ρ⁷ −6ρ⁵) sin 5θ 30 7 −3 4 (21ρ⁷ − 30ρ⁵ + 10ρ³) sin 3θ 31 7 −1 4 (35ρ⁷ −60ρ⁵ + 30ρ³ − 4ρ) sin θ 32 7 1 4 (35ρ⁷ − 60ρ⁵ + 30ρ³ − 4ρ) cos θ 33 7 34 (21ρ⁷ − 30ρ⁵ + 10ρ³) cos 3θ 34 7 5 4 (7ρ⁷ − 6ρ⁵) cos 5θ 35 7 7 4 ρ⁷cos 7θ

Correcting for astigmatism has traditionally meant correcting thesecond-order astigmatic aberrations, which are Zernike mode indices 3and 5. And correcting for myopia and hypermetropia has traditionallybeen done by correcting for defocus. Defocus is composed ofaxi-symmetrical Zernike indices 4, 12 and 24, but Zernike index 4 is theprimary spherical power component and is thus the only mode correctedfor. Traditional phoropters are not able to measure aberrations of ahigher order than second-order astigmatism and defocus. But the newwavefront sensors allow for measuring higher-order aberrations with highresolution, such as third-order coma (indices 7 and 8), fourth-orderastigmatism (indices 11 and 13), fourth-order spherical aberration(index 12), and sixth-order spherical aberration (index 24).

Continuing with the method 200, at step 206, the subjective visualperformance of the subject's eye is accessed and recorded for variouspower profiles, vergences, and/or aperture sizes. The better theregistration of the power profiles to the visual axis, the better thesubjective visual performance tends to be. The optimal power profile isdetermined at step 208 as the power profile that provides the bestregistration to the visual axis and/or for which the subject providessubjective feedback indicating the most preferred visual performance.The optimal power profile can be determined on an individual (custom)basis, or alternatively it can be determined from data taken from alarge number of subjects. Then the optimal power profile can be saved inelectronic format and provided (delivered on a portable storage device,sent over a computer network, etc.) to a manufacturer for fabrication ofan ophthalmic lens.

Preferably, the step 206 of accessing and recording the subjectivevisual is done in a closed-loop iterative process at various vergencesand aperture sizes. As shown in FIG. 3, an example iterative method 300is shown. At step 302, the subjective visual performance of thesubject's eye is first accessed and recorded at one vergence andaperture setting. Then at step 304 the subjective visual performance ofthe subject's eye is accessed and recorded as the vergence setting ofthe Badal optometer or other adjustable vergence component is changedone or more times. For example, the vergence can be adjusted to settingsfor resolving a subject's vision at about 0.0 diopters (D), about 1.0 D,and about 2.5 D to approximate for distance, intermediate, and nearvision, respectively. And at step 306 the subjective visual performanceof the subject's eye is accessed and recorded as the aperture setting ofthe adjustable aperture component is changed one or more times. Forexample, the size of the aperture can be adjusted to settings of about2.5 mm, about 4.0 mm, and about 6.0 mm, to approximate for typicalbright daylight, medium-light, and nighttime low-light conditions,respectively. Preferably, the iterative process further includes at step308 returning to step 302 to repeat these steps for additional powerprofiles at each vergence and aperture setting until the adaptive opticscorrector hardware projects a substantially aberration-free focusingtarget (with the subjectively best compromise for presbyopic vision)back to the user. While this iterative process is performedautomatically by the control system 22 in the described system 10, itwill be understood that this process can be performed manually (by thephysician/healthcare professional or by the subject directly) by makingthe needed adjustments to different vergence and aperture settings.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate test data for one test subject using the method200 and a prototype of the system 10 in which the adaptive opticswavefront corrector hardware was a spatial light modulator with aphase-wrapping algorithm applied to extend the dynamic range of thesystem. These figures show a plot of the minimum angle of resolution(MAR), which is a measure of visual acuity, at different vergences for aset aperture (not at different aperture size settings). A MAR of 5roughly corresponds to 20/20 vision, and a MAR of 10 roughly correspondsto 20/40 vision. The “x” axis is the vergence, with the unit beingdiopters, the reciprocal of the focal length measured in meters. And the“y” axis is the MAR, with the units being millimeters, as this is ameasure of the height of the smallest character of the focusing targetthat the subject could correctly identify at 0.5 D incremental vergencesteps. This test data represents the subjective feedback from the testsubject for each of the tested power profiles.

Power profile X is the baseline control, as it includes a correction forspherical defocus only with no phase shift. Power profile Y is the sameas that of a contact lens that is commercially available under the brandname “FOCUS DAILIES” from CIBA Vision Corporation (Duluth, Ga.). Powerprofile Z is that of a contact lens including correction for presbyopiaonly without correction for spherical defocus or any other Zernikemodes.

Using the power profiles X, Y, and Z as references, several profileswere tested for comparison. Power profile A is a 1.5 D flattop (i.e., astep function) power profile with a 2.2 mm diameter width. Power profileB is a 3.0 D flattop power profile with a 2.2 mm diameter width. Powerprofile C is compound 2 D flattop power profile with a 2.2 mm diameterwidth. Power profile C1 is the same as power profile C, but de-centered0.6 mm nasally. Power profile D is a 2.0 D flattop power profile with a2.2 mm diameter width. Power profile D1 is the same as power profile D,but de-centered 0.6 mm nasally.

The data clearly show and allow for extrapolating that:

-   -   Peak ADD power profiles less than about 2.5 D, and preferably        less that about 2.0 D, with the power profile being constant and        tapering to the distance power, tend to provide for optimal        visual performance by maintaining relatively constant visual        acuity through the usable vergence. The larger the magnitude of        the step function, the more compromise there is between near,        intermediate, and distance vision for presbyopes. This is due to        the tendency at higher diopters for the subject to experience a        zone of poorer vision between two “sweet spots” of good vision.        The best subjective results were obtained for profiles in which        the MAR stayed close to 5 for up to about 2.0 to 2.5 D and then        trailed upwardly smoothly.    -   Registration of the ADD or presbyopic zone(s) to the visual axis        maximizes performance.    -   Power gradients from high peak ADD powers significantly degrade        intermediate vision and have an effective near zone at too great        a vergence (too close to the eye).    -   Varying photopic pupil diameters can be accounted for with        varying diameter central zones.    -   Modified mono-vision enhanced with these derived simultaneous        vision lenses will provide relatively constant visual acuity for        older or absolute presbyopic subjects.

Having described a system 10 and method 200 for determining an optimalpower profile for an ophthalmic lens, a method for describing andfabricating the lens will now be described. FIGS. 6A-C show, as anexample, one such lens 600. For a contact lens, the aberrationcorrection is typically designed for and fabricated on the frontrefractive surface 602, whereas the posterior surface 604 can be conicor otherwise shaped to fit the subject eye's corneal topography. Asshown with particularity in FIG. 6C, the depicted lens 600 has aprogressive, axi-symmetrical power zone (such as for presbyopia) 602 b,with a circular or elliptical boundary, added onto an irregularrefractive surface 602 a with corrections for Zernike aberrations.

As described above, Zernike polynomials are typically used to describerefractive errors for correcting with ophthalmic lenses. However, theZernike basis set or surface function filters the high-spatial frequencyfeatures required for presbyopic vision correction. That is, the Zernikebasis set for correcting for myopia or hypermetropia does not haveterms, such as spline terms or terms with high-enough spatialresolution, to describe current or future “progressive” presbyopic lensdesign features, such as the depicted lens 600.

FIG. 7 shows an example method 700 for determining a resultantrefractive surface profile for including in an ophthalmic lens or foruse in ablating a cornea. The refractive surface can include the optimalpower zone profile determined by the above-described system 10 andmethod 200. In particular, the refractive surface may comprise aprogressive, regular, axi-symmetrical power zone 602 b (according to theoptimal power profile) added onto an irregular, non-axi-symmetrical,aberration-corrected, base refractive surface 602 a. The method 700 canbe used to construct single or multiple power zones on the basissurface. In addition, the added zone or zones can be central,concentric, non-concentric, and/or non-circular. Furthermore, the methodcan be used to describe toric lenses where the progressive profile mustbe fabricated on the same surface as the cylindrical or biconic surface.Moreover, the method can be used to describe custom presbyopic lenses,progressive lenses with zone offset on non-spherical surfaces, and toricand progressive features on the same surface.

The method 700 includes at step 702 determining a basissphero-cylindrical or higher-order Zernike surface 602 a, withcorrection for defocus (myopia or hypermetropia), astigmatism, coma,and/or other aberrations. This can be done using the ophthalmicwavefront sensor of the system 10 and method 200 described above. Thenat step 704, a number of radial and azimuthal meridians 606 and 608 aredefined on the basis surface 602 a (see FIG. 6A). In a preferredembodiment (not shown), 16 radial meridians and 5 azimuthal meridiansare defined within the area on the Zernike basis surface 602 a where thepower zone 602 b is to be added.

At step 706, for each meridian, an axi-symmetrical power zone 602 b isadded to the basis surface 602 a. This is done using a recursivefunction so that the power zone 602 b is built up along each meridian insequence in a linear fashion. The resultant front surface of the lens600 where the power zone 602 b is added is computed via a linearsuperposition of functions (curves or splines) such that the apexposition of each radial meridian is equivalent and such that theresulting curvature produces the added power in addition to the basissurface corrections. The resultant front surface 602 of the lens 600 issmooth and tangent at each point. The amplitude, shape, diameter, andcentering of the power zone 602 b may be determined using the ophthalmicwavefront sensor and adaptive optics corrector of the system 10 andmethod 200 described above.

Steps 704 and 706 may be performed by software included in the controlsystem 22 of the system 10 described above, or such software may beprovided as a stand-alone software product for running on anothercomputer such as one at a manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses. Thesoftware for recursively computing the resultant front surface 602 ofthe lens 600 preferably includes a non-uniform rational basis spline(NURBS) model for surface construction by boundary curves. NURBS is awell-known mathematical model commonly used in CAD systems forgenerating and representing free-form curves and modeling complex shapesbased on spline curves, and a person of ordinary skill in the art wouldknow how to adapt a commercially available NURBS program to carry outthe method. A commercially available program that can be adapted for usein the method is sold under then brand name “POWER NURBS 2.0” and isprovided by nPower Software, a division of Integrity Ware, Inc. (SanDiego, Calif.). In addition, the major commercial CAD systems, such asthose provided under the brand names “SOLIDWORKS” by SolidWorksCorporation (Concord, Mass.) and “PRO/ENGINEER” by Parametric TechnologyCorporation (PTC) (Needham, Mass.), operate on a NURBS kernel, and thesesystems are suitable for use in implementing the method.

The software can be stored on a computer-readable medium for use with acomputing system (the control system 22 or a separate system, notshown). The computing system can comprise a general-purpose personalcomputer such as a desktop, laptop or handheld computer. Such acomputing system includes a programmed processor system, a display, akeyboard, a mouse or similar pointing device, a network interface, afixed-medium data storage device such as a magnetic disk drive, and aremovable-medium data storage device such as a CD-ROM or DVD drive.Other elements commonly included in personal computers can also beincluded but are not detailed for purposes of clarity. Although notdescribed individually for purposes of clarity, the programmed processorsystem includes a conventional arrangement of one or more processors,memories and other logic that together define the overall computationaland data manipulation power of the computing system.

Although the described example embodiment includes a personal computeror similar general-purpose computer, in other embodiments it cancomprise any other suitable system. In some embodiments, portions ofsuch a computing system can be distributed among a number of networkedcomputers, data storage devices, network devices, and other computingsystem elements. It should be noted that the software can be stored in adistributed manner and retrieved via the network interface from multiplesources on an as-needed basis. Similarly, it can be stored on multipledisks or other data storage media and retrieved or otherwise loaded intothe computing system on an as-needed basis.

The user can interact with the computing system through a user interfacein a conventional manner. The user interface can comprise, for example,a graphical user interface (GUI) that operates in accordance withstandard windowing and graphical user interface protocols supported byMICROSOFT WINDOWS or a similar operating system. That is, the user canmanipulate (e.g., open, close, resize, minimize, etc.) windows on thedisplay, launch application software that executes within one or morewindows, and interact with pictures, icons, and graphical controlstructures (e.g., buttons, checkboxes, pull-down menus, etc.) on thedisplay using the mouse, the keyboard, or other input devices. The userinterface can include not only the logic through which screen displaysare generated and made viewable but also computational logic thatgenerates and organizes, tabulates, etc., numerical values to bedisplayed or otherwise output. Similarly, the user interface can includelogic for importing, exporting, opening, and closing data files.

The process by which the recursive function builds up the resultantsurface is as flows. For each of the meridians on the underlying surfacewhere the power zone is to be added, the height of the meridian isincreased at each point on that meridian by the magnitude of the powerzone profile at that point. The increased meridian height is calculatedbased upon the increased curvature along that meridian.

After the resultant front surface 602 has been described, at step 708 anophthalmic lens is fabricated with the surface. An electronic data fileincluding a description of the resultant surface can be delivered to thefabricator via the network connection, on a storage device, orotherwise. The lens is preferably fabricated of lathable siliconhydrogel. The lens fabrication can be done using conventional systemsknown in the art. Preferably, the lens is fabricated using anultra-precision single-point diamond turning system, such as isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,938 owned by Novartis AG, which ishereby incorporated by reference herein. For surface fabrication usingsuch a device, compensation for anticipated fabrication errors isdesigned into the offset “progressive” meridians 606 of the lens 600. Inparticular, the meridians 606 are arranged so that their end pointsremain tangent. The elevation (curvature) of the offset meridians 606 isadjusted to compensate for the fabrication errors resulting frompositive or negative movement of the oscillating tool. This isadvantageous because fractions of a micron will affect the resultingoptical power in a progressive type zone. The resultant optical power isproportional to the Laplacian of the surface function.

A resultant front surface described by the method 700, which may includean optimal power profile determined by the system 10 and/or method 200,can be practically implemented in several ways to provide optimalpresbyopic correction and custom vision correction. An ophthalmic lenscan be fabricated with a refractive surface conforming to the optimalpower profile. Such ophthalmic lenses include single-vision (myopia orhypermetropia) contact lenses, simultaneous-vision (presbyopic) contactlenses, toric (astigmatism) contact lenses, phakic contact lenses,aphakic intraocular lenses (IOLs), and other contact lenses and IOLs.Alternatively, a cornea of can be ablated with a laser to conform to theresultant front surface, which may be based on the optimal powerprofile, in laser refractive surgery.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred andexample embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within thescope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

1. A method for determining an optimal power profile for an eye,comprising: (a) measuring aberrations of the eye; (b) generating a firstpower profile that blurs a focusing target equivalently to an ophthalmiclens with corrections for the aberrations and with an added power zoneaccording to the first power profile; (c) accessing subjective visualperformance of the eye for the first power profile; (d) generating asubsequent power profile that blurs the focusing target equivalently tothe ophthalmic lens with corrections for the aberrations and with anadded power zone according to the subsequent power profile; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) in an iterative fashion until the optimalone of the power profiles is determined.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein step (a) includes measuring aberrations by using an ophthalmicwavefront sensor.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (d)include generating power profiles by using an adaptive optics wavefrontcorrector.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (d) includegenerating power profiles each having a different amplitude, shape,width, or de-centered shift, or a combination thereof.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein step (c) includes measuring decentration relative to aneye's line of sight and decentering the optical zone correspondingly. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes accessing subjectivevisual performance when the focusing target is viewed at a firstvergence setting, adjusting the vergence to a second setting, andaccessing subjective visual performance at the second vergence setting.7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) further includes adjustingthe vergence to a third setting and accessing subjective visualperformance at the third vergence setting, wherein the vergence settingssimulate distance, intermediate, and near vision.
 8. The method of claim6, wherein step (c) includes accessing subjective visual performancewhen the focusing target is viewed through an aperture at a firstaperture size setting, adjusting the aperture size to a subsequentsetting, and accessing subjective visual performance at the subsequentaperture size setting.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c)includes accessing subjective visual performance when the focusingtarget is viewed through an aperture at a first aperture size setting,adjusting the aperture size to a subsequent setting, and accessingsubjective visual performance at the subsequent aperture size setting.10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (c) further includes adjustingthe aperture size to a third setting and accessing subjective visualperformance at the third aperture size setting, wherein the aperturesize settings simulate daylight, intermediate, and nighttime vision. 11.An ophthalmic lens including the optimal power profile determined by themethod of claim
 1. 12. A system for determining an optimal power profilefor an eye, comprising: an adjustable vergence component including adisplayable focusing target; an adaptive optics phoropter including anophthalmic wavefront sensor that measures aberrations in the eye andincluding an adaptive optics wavefront corrector that generates aplurality of power profiles that blur the focusing target equivalentlyto an ophthalmic lens with corrections for the aberrations and with anadded power zone according to the power profiles; and a control systemoperable to adjust a vergence of the focusing target between a pluralityof vergence settings and to adjust the adaptive optics wavefrontcorrector for each of the power profiles so that subjective visualperformance of the eye can be assessed for each of the power profiles ateach of the vergence settings in an iterative fashion until the optimalone of the power profiles is determined.
 13. The system of claim 12,wherein the adjustable vergence component comprises a Badal optometer.14. The system of claim 12, wherein the vergence settings simulatedistance, intermediate, and near vision.
 15. The system of claim 12,wherein the adaptive optics wavefront corrector comprises at least oneMEMS deformable mirror device.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein thepower profiles generated by the adaptive optics wavefront corrector eachhave a different amplitude, shape, width, or de-centered shift, or acombination thereof.
 17. The system of claim 12, further comprising anadjustable aperture component defining an aperture, wherein the controlsystem is further operable to adjust a size of the aperture between aplurality of aperture size settings so that subjective visualperformance of the eye can be assessed for each of the power profiles ateach of the aperture size settings in the iterative fashion until theoptimal one of the power profiles is determined.
 18. The system of claim17, wherein the adjustable vergence component is positioned between andaligned in an optical path with the adaptive optics phoropter and theaperture.
 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the aperture size settingssimulate daylight, intermediate, and nighttime vision.